I’m a veteran Chicago-based consumer automotive journalist devoted to providing news, views, timely tips and reviews to help maximize your automotive investments. In addition to posting on Forbes.com, I'm a Contributing Editor for Consumers Digest magazine and write frequently on automotive topics for other national and regional publications and websites. My work also appears in newspapers across the U.S., syndicated by CTW Features. I'm the author of the Automotive Intelligentsia Money-Saving New-Car Guide and the Automotive Intelligentsia series of Sports Car Guides, available via Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble online and at the Apple iBook store. Email me at carguyjim@att.net.

A Jaguar With A Four-Cylinder Engine...Really?

We were admittedly skeptical when we learned that, for the 2013 model year, Jaguar would be making a four-cylinder engine standard in its otherwise large and posh XF sports sedan.

After all, up until only recently the XF had come powered exclusively by a selection of throbbing V8 engines that still top out at a galloping 510 horsepower (a 3.0-liter 340-horsepower supercharged V6 replaced the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 in the lineup). Still, with automakers’ federally mandated corporate average fuel economy rising to 36.5 mpg by 2016 and reaching an anticipated peak of 54.5 mpg by 2025, even Jaguar has to begin rethinking its model line with maximum mileage in mind.

Which is why the base Jaguar XF now comes powered by a seemingly modest 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. However, unlike the ungainly four-bangers that meekly propel the similarly sized Buick LaCrosse and the 2014 Chevrolet Impala, this powerplant is both turbocharged and direct injected to generate a vigorous 240 horsepower and 251 pound/feet of torque. We were recently able to test out a four-cylinder XF for ourselves over a week’s driving in and around Chicago and came away duly impressed.

While engine displacement still trumps sophistication, especially in the XF’s top-shelf market segment, the 2.0 turbo-four is an impressive piece of work. Mated to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, it brings the car up to speed swiftly and with authority when pressed hard. At one point we had to open the hood and check for ourselves that there were, in fact, only four cylinders residing beneath it. With 474 fewer pounds to push around than with a V8-equipped version, the rear-drive XF suddenly becomes more playful through the curves. It’s especially enjoyable around town where the engine’s sprightly nature shines in helping the car dart in and out of traffic like a much smaller model.

Now, of course, the laws of physics still apply. That means the turbo-four tends to run out of oomph right at about the point where a V8 (or the supercharged V6 for that matter) really gets cranking, but that point tends to be well in violation of most speed limits, at least this side of the Autobahn. Still, the XF with a four-cylinder engine delivers better than acceptable acceleration and rewards its owners with reasonably good fuel economy, which is EPA-estimated at 19/30-mpg city/highway.

Otherwise, all the good – and merely tolerable – aspects of the XF remain intact. The sedan’s exterior styling is curvaceously coupe-like, though the sleek roofline and steeply raked windshield tend to hamper ingress and egress, especially for taller drivers and riders. The car’s opulent interior is trimmed in wood and aluminum, with distinctive instrumentation and soothing ambient lighting. There’s plenty of room for long-legged riders to stretch out in comfort, but back seat legroom can get tight with the front seats fully extended.

Push the backlit engine-start button and the dashboard air vents automatically rotate open while the rotary shift knob rises up from the center console. A simple wave of the hand activates the overhead reading lights or opens the glovebox. Unfortunately other ergonomic aspects tend to be lacking, with a large touchscreen at the center of the dashboard only adding to the confusion involved in operating many of the car’s systems. Myriad features come standard, with even more on the options list, including a first-class Meridian audio system and all the latest high-tech safety systems.

With the turbo-four engine the XF starts at $46,975, which is about $3,000 less than with the supercharged V6 and $21,000 less than the most-affordable V8 model, which also makes it something of a bargain.

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Jags are some of the most beautiful cars on the road. However, it’s 2013, and they still rank at the bottom in terms of quality and reliability. If I were a gazillionaire and didn’t have to worry about all of the ‘maintenance’ and had second car, sure, I’d get one. Otherwise, nope.